Digital Nomads

One of the latest viral trends is using your photos in AI chatbots to modify and create cool images. Yes, it’s new and exciting. Yes, it makes your family and friends laugh at your cartoon pictures or say “ooohhh” at your sexy Christmas photo. But is it safe? Are there privacy risks?

Well… would you walk along the street and hand your photos to a stranger, knowing they could distribute them to others as they please? Now put that scenario into a massive online world with billions of people connected to the internet.

Photos contain far more information than you may realise. Think about the data stored when you take a picture. If you want to see some of this data, open a photo on your smartphone and swipe up. You’ll see the date it was taken, the location, and device information, amongst other data.

Then there’s the content of the photo itself. There could be personal information you didn’t even notice, for example, a street sign, a licence plate, something reflected in a mirror, travel documents, or personal paperwork in the background.

You also need to consider data breaches. What if your photos are leaked and people start using them for unsavoury purposes? Many free AI chatbots aren’t set up to prioritise privacy, so you don’t really know where your data is being stored or how it might be used.

It does look like a fun trend, so I’m not saying don’t do it. I’m saying think about it before you do. Ask yourself some important questions before uploading or posting your photos:

• Do you know where the photos are being stored?
• Can they be used for AI training?
• Do the people in the photo consent to having it shared with AI?
• What personal information is stored in the metadata of the photo?
• What content in the photo could unintentionally reveal personal information?

If you’re comfortable with the answers above and still want to have some fun, what can you do to reduce your chances of privacy breaches (note: reduce, not stop)?

• Opt out of training- Many chatbots allow you to opt out of having your data used to train AI models.
• Read privacy policies- They may be boring, but they’re worth skimming to understand what the company is doing with your data.
• Avoid free AI services- You know the old saying, “You get what you pay for”. If they aren’t making money from you, how else are they benefiting?
• Remove metadata- There are third‑party tools that remove hidden data such as location, time, and device information (but be cautious and apply the same scrutiny to these tools). Even taking a screenshot of a photo can remove some metadata.
• Use photos without people or personal information whenever possible.

So before jumping on the bandwagon, think before you post.

NOTE: Yes, I realise the image in this article has been created by AI. I didn’t upload it, my mum thought it would be funny. So that horse has already bolted. 🤦‍♀️